Collapsible grocery tote box



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 14, 1965 INVENTOR B. BEH

March 28, 1967 COLLAPSIBLE GROCERY TOTE BOX 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 14, 1965 INVENTOR March 28, 1967 B. BEH 3,311,254

COLLAPSIBLE GROCERY TOTE BOX Filed July 14, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR film/Ce 56h United States Patent 3,311,254 CGLLAPSELE GRGCERY TOTE BOX Bruce Bel], Huntington, N.Y. Bell & Company, 1159 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10001) Filed July 14, 1965, Ser. No. 471,979 3 Claims. (Cl. 220-6) This invention concerns a collapsible tote box of general application but especially adapted for carrying bags of groceries, articles of irregular shapes and the like.

One object of the invention is to provide a tote box made of a plurality of panels secured together by plastic hinges so that it can be quickily collapsed to form a fiat, compact pile ofpanels and so that it can be quickly unfolded and set up to form an open top box with drop front.

Another object is to provide a tote box as described with novel latch means for holding the drop front panel in closed position.

Other objects are to provide a tote box which can be made from inexpensive flat fiberboard panels at low cost, which is easily carried while filled, which is strong and durable, which can be set up without use of tools, which is relatively light in weight, and which is attractive in appearance.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a tote box in set up condition, part of the drop front panel being broken away to show internal construction.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a plastic hinge employed in the tote box.

FIGURE 3 is a further enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a snap lock ring employed in the tote box.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a hand grip molding employed in the tote box.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the tote box in collapsed condition.

FIGURE 7 is an outside plan view of the tote box in open, developed position.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a front portion of another tote box in set up condition.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary enlarged rear perspective view of the drop front of the tote box of FIG. 8 showing details of the latch means.

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken on line 1-Il1i) of FIG. 9.

FIGURE 11 is a front view of another tote box.

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 12'1-2 of FIG. 11.

FIGURE 13 is a plan view of part of the drop front panel of the tote box of FIG. 11 showing inside construction of a spring latch thereon.

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged perspective View of a spring latch employed in the tote box of FIGS. 11, 12, 13.

FIGURE 15 is a plan view similar to a part of FIG. 7, showing a portion of the drop front panel employed in the tote box of FIGS. 11-13.

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a tote box 16 in set up condition. The box includes a plurality of rectangular panels made of rigid tempered fiberboard. The box has a vertical front drop panel 20. The top of the box is open. The rear and side panels are of 3,311,254 Patented Mar. 28, 1 967 substantially the same height and the front panel is somewhat shorter. The panels are held together by flexible plastic strap hinges 25 whose construction is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Each hinge 25 has a flat, molded, flexible plastic body made of tough, strong material such as polyethylene, vinyl copolymer or the like. It has a generally rectangular elongated central portion 26 with two long narrow necks 28 extending outwardly of opposite ends of the central portion. The necks 28 terminate in wide, fiat heads or tabs 30. A bead 31 is formed all around the edge periphery of the strap hinge to reinforce its structure and to prevent tearing of the hinge under strain.

The structure of the panels is best shown in FIGS. 1, 6 and 7. The rear panel 18 has four short vertical slots 29 close to the lateral edges 32 of the panel and spaced from the horizontal upper and lower edges 33, 34. Two short horizontal slots 36 are formed in panel 18 near lower edge 34. Adjacent to the four slots 29 respectively and perpendicular thereto are longer, narrow horizontal slots 35. Longer narrow vertical slots 38 are located near and perpendicular to slots 36.

The side panels 14 and 16 are similar in construction each having a large semicircular or semi-oval hand hole 40 with .a straight upper edge. A plastic channel molding 42 best shown in FIG. 5 is applied to the straight edge of each hole 42 to serve as a comfortable hand grip. The hole 59 is located near upper edge 43 of each side panel. Each side anel has two short vertical slots 44 located near adjacent vertical slots 29 of panel 13. Adjacent to slots 44 are longer narrow horizontal slots 46. At the outer free edge 47 of each side panel is a hole 48 which receives a latch device. A narrow vertical slot 59 is located near the outer bottom corner of each side panel.

Bot-torn panel 21) has two short straight slots 52 located near and parallel to both edge 5 and bottom slots 36 of panel 18. Adjacent the slots 52 are narrow slots 56 disposed perpendicular to slots 52. At opposite edge are short straight slots 58 disposed parallel to edge 55 and two longer narrow slots 60 disposed near and perpendicular to slots 58. Short slots 62 are disposed near outer edges 64 of the bottom panel 21) and longer narrow slots 65 are disposed near and perpendicular to slots 62.

The front drop panel 12 is formed with holes 67 near outer corners of the panel. Short slots 66 are formed near bottom edge 68 of the panel parallel to this edge and adjacent to slots 58 in bottom panel 20. Near slots 66 and perpendicular thereto are narrow slots 70.

It will be noted that central portion 26 of each strap hinge 25 is inserted through two adjacent short slots parallel to adjacent edges of adjacent panels. The necks 28 of the strap hinge are inserted through the longer narrow slots disposed perpendicular to the shorter slots in which hinge portion 28 is inserted. The center part of each strap hinge overlays adjacent edges of two adjacent panels at one side thereof and the tabs or heads 3% are disposed at the same one side of the panels and are engaged at the longer narrow slots.

The center portions 26 all of strap hinges are all disposed at the outer side of the tote box or the upper sides of the panels as shown in FIG. 7. The heads 30 of almost all these strap hinges are located at the same outer side of the tote box. Strap hinges 25a and 25]) attached to the bottom panel 20 as shown in FIG. 7 have free heads 30' which are disposed at the inner sides of the side panels 14, 16 when the tote box is assembled as clearly shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 shows the drop front panel 12 in closed position and held by snap rings 72 engaged in holes 65 and 48 of the front and side panels. The panel 12 is shown in dotted lines in open position with rings removed. The rings 72 as best shown in FIG. 4 each have two arcuate, semicircular portions 73 pivotally secured together by a pin 74. Notched jaws 75 on the ring portions mutually engage each other for holding the rings closed. The rings serve as readily openable latch means.

FIG. 6 shows a tote box 10 collapsed with the panels 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 superimposed on each other forming a compact, fiat pile which is readily stored in a small space.

FIGS. 8-l0 illustrate another tote box 10a which is similar to tote box 10 and corresponding parts are identically numbered. Tote box 10:: has a latch device which is different from the rings 72 of box 10. The latch device 100 includes a grooved and flanged rotatable knob 102 engaged in a hole 101 near the upper edge of front drop panel 12a. The knob has an annular ring 103 engaged by set screw 104 on post 105 of inner flange 106. On the inner side of flange 106 of the knob are cars 108 diametrally opposed. A rod 110 extends through these cars and terminates in loops or eyes 112 at opposite ends. Latch arms 114 have loops or eyes 115 engaged with the loops or eyes 112. The latch arms have outer free fingers 118 turned perpendicularly to the inner, longer portions 117 of the latch arms. The arms 114 extend through guide brackets 120 secured by rivets 122 on the inner side of the panel 12a near its lateral edges. The fingers 118 extend through slots 125 formed in the side panels 14a, 16a near their front edges.

The knob post 102 has a central bore with an enlarged recess 132 at its outer end. A push pin or button 134 is movably seated in recess 132 and has a rectangular shaft 135 extending inwardly of bore 130. Rack gear teeth 136 are formed on shaft 135. Engaged with teeth 136 are projecting spur gear teeth 140 formed at the center of rod 110. A spherically curved shell 141 on flange 106 covers the shaft 135. A projecting stop element 144 is provided on shaft 135, to hold the pin 134 in the knob.

In operation of the latch means 100, the push pin 134 can be moved axially in bore 130 and recess 132. When the pin is moved axially the rod 110 is turned on its axis and the latch arms 114 which are hinged to opposite ends of rod 110 also turn axially. The latch arms can be turned from the locked position of FIG. 8 to the dotted line open position of FIG. 9 by pulling the pin 134 outwardly of panel 12a. Then the fingers 118 can be withdrawn through vertical slots 125 in the side panels by rotating the nob 102 so that the arm portions 117 slide inwardly in the brackets 172. Locking of the latch means 100 is performed by reverse movements from those described.

In FIGS. ll-l5 is illustrated another latch device ap plied to another tote box 10b. The tote box has two similar spring latches 100a each provided with a rectan gularly U-shaped bracket secured by rivets extending through holes 151 in the bracket and holes 152 formed in front drop panel 12b. Adjacent to the brackets 150 are longer narrow slots 154 in panel 126. Handle 155 of an L-shaped latch bar or rod 156 extends outwardly through slot 154. The inner body portion 157 of the rod 156 extends through holes 158 in opposite side plates 159, 160 of the bracket 150. On the rod body portion 157 is an annular flange 162. A coil spring 164 is mounted on this body portion and bears on the flange. When the handle 155 is moved outwardly away from the bracket plate 159 so that body portion 157 moves axially, the spring is compressed. When the handle is released the body portion moves axially in opposite direction so that the free end 157' thereof extends outwardly beyond the bracket and engages in hole 48 in side panel 14 or 16.

It will be noted in all forms of the invention described, that the box can be collapsed to a compact flat pile of panels as shown in FIG. 6. This is done by opening the latch means to release the front panel and by disengaging the heads 30' of strap hinges 25a, 25b from the slots 50 in the side panels. This will release the side panels from the bottom panel and the entire structure can then be flattened out to the position of FIG. 7 or it can be folded compactly to the piled condition shown in FIG. 6.

In assembling the box no tools are required. The central portions 26 of the strap hinges pass through the short slots which have lengths substantially equal to the widths of the strap hinges. The necks 28 of the strap hinges engaged in the longer narrower slots disposed perpendicular to the short slots. The heads 30 and 30 of the hinges are slightly shorter than the short slots to permit these heads to pass through the slots when they are twisted into alignment with them. Similarly the heads of the straps pass through the longer narrower slots by twisting the heads into alignment with these slots. The widths of the slots are all slightly wider than the maximum thicknesses of the strap hinges to permit them to pass through easily.

The tote boxes described have a wide variety of applications but they are of especial utility to patrons of supermarkets. These bags of grocers and articles of irregular shapes can be easily inserted into the open top of a set up box. Then the filled box can be conveniently carried to an automobile, delivery truck or other conveyance where the box will stand stably during transportation. After delivery of the filled box, the drop front panel can easily be lowered and the heavy bags and other articles can be removed horizontally from the open front of the box without having to lift them up over the sides of the box.

The panels, hinges and other parts can be made by mass production methods at low cost. The tote boxes are relatively light in weight, durable in construction, convenient to use and attractive in appearance. They fulfill a long felt need in this field.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible tote box for bags of groceries and the like, comprising a generally rectangular hollow body defined by a vertical front panel, two opposing vertical side panels, a vertical back panel and a horizontal bottom panel, each of said panels being a rigid rectangular flat member, handle means at the side panels, each of said panels having a plurality of pairs of slots formed therein, flexible strap hinges removably engaged in said slots and joining the panels together, and detachable latch means engaging adjacent edges of the side panels and front panel, whereby said body is a rigid structure with open top for inserting articles therein, and whereby said front panels can be pivoted to a horizontal position away from the side panels by disengaging said latch means to open the front of said body for removing said articles through said open front, and whereby said panels can be folded upon each other in a compact pile to collapse said body when certain ones of said hinges are disengaged from the panels, said side panels having further slots located near outer edges thereof, said latch means comprising a knob rotatably mounted on the front panel, a rod carried by said knob and rotatable therewith, latch arms hinged to opposite ends of said rod, said latch arms being generally L-shaped with laterally extending fingers engageable in said further slots in the side panels, and means carried by said knob for rotating said latch arms axially for clearing said further slots when said latch arms are withdrawn therefrom by rotation of said knob.

2. A collapsible tote box for bags of groceries and the like, comprising a generally rectangular hollow body defined by a vertical front panel, two opposing vertical side panels, a vertical back panel and a horizontal bottom panel, each of said panels being a rigid rectangular flat member, handle means at the side panels, each of said panels having a plurality of pairs of slots formed therein, flexible strap hinges removably engaged in said slots and joining the panels together, and detachable latch means engaging adjacent edges of the side panels and front panel, whereby said body is a rigid structure with open top for inserting articles therein, and whereby said front panel can be pivoted to a horizontal position away from the side panels by disengaging said latch means to open the front of said body for removing said articles through said open front, and whereby said panels can be folded upon each other in a compact pile to collapse said body when certain ones of said hinges are disengaged from the panels, said side panels having further slots located near outer edges thereof, said latch means comprising a knob rotatably mounted on the front panel, a rod carried by said knob and rotatable therewith, latch arms hinged to opposite ends of said rod, said latch arms being generally L-shaped with laterally extending fingers engageable in said further slots in the side panels, and means carried by said knob for rotating said latch arms axially for clearing said further slots when said latch arms are withdrawn therefrom by rotation of said knob, said rod having centrally located gear teeth extending radially therefrom, said knob having a central bore, a pin axially movable in said bore in the knob, said pin carrying a shaft having rack gear teeth engaged with the gear teeth of said rod, whereby said rod is turned axially to turn said latch arms when said push pin is moved axially in said knob.

3. A collapsible tote box for bags of groceries and the like, comprising a generally rectangular hollow body defined by a vertical front panel, two opposing vertical side panels, a vertical back panel and a horizontal bottom panel, each of said panels being a rigid rectangular flat member, handle means at the side panels, each of said panels having a plurality of pairs of slots formed therein, flexible strap hinges removably engaged in said slots and joining the panels together, and detachable latch means engaging adjacent edges of the side panels and front panel, whereby said body is a rigid structure with open top for inserting articles therein, and whereby said front panel can be pivoted to a horizontal position away from the side panels by disengaging said latch means to open the front of said body for removing said articles through said open front, and whereby said panels can be folded upon each other in a compact pile to collapse said body when certain ones of said hinges are disengaged from the panels, each of said hinges having a central generally elongated rectangular portion, narrow necks extending outwardly of opposite ends of said central portion, and a wide head formed at the end of each neck, each of said pairs of slots including one short slot having a width substantially equal to the width of said central portion of a hinge for receiving said central portion, each pair of slots further including a longer and narrower slot having a width sub stantially equal to that of a neck of a hinge for receiving said neck, whereby the heads of each hinge are engaged at the narrower slots in the panels and whereby the hinges are detachable from the panels by twisting the heads to pass through said narrower slots, said side panels having funther slots located near outer edges thereof, said latch means comprising a knob rotatably mounted on the front panel, a rod carried by said knob and rotatable therewith, latch arms hinged to opposite ends of said rod, said latch arms being generally L-shaped with laterally extending fingers engageable in said further slots in the side panels, and means carried by said knob for rotating said latch arms axially for clearing said further slots when said latch arms are withdrawn therefrom by rotation of said knob, said rod having centrally located gear teeth extending radially therefrom, said knob having a central bore, a pin axially movable in said bore in the knob, said pin carrying a shaft having rack gear teeth engaged with the gear teeth of said rod, whereby said rod is turned axially to turn said latch arms when said push pin is moved axially in said knob.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,829,613 10/1931 Sato 24-17 FOREIGN PATENTS 177,110 12/1953 Austria.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. R. H. SCHWARTZ, Examiner. 

1. A COLLAPSIBLE TOTE BOX FOR BAGS OF GROCERIES AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR HOLLOW BODY DEFINED BY A VERTICAL FRONT PANEL, TWO OPPOSING VERTICAL SIDE PANELS, A VERTICAL BACK PANEL AND A HORIZONTAL BOTTOM PANEL, EACH OF SAID PANELS BEING A RIGID RECTANGULAR FLAT MEMBER, HANDLE MEANS AT THE SIDE PANELS, EACH OF SAID PANELS HAVING A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF SLOTS FORMED THEREIN, FLEXIBLE STRAP HINGES REMOVABLY ENGAGED IN SAID SLOTS AND JOINING THE PANEL TOGETHER, AND DETACHABLE LATCH MEANS ENGAGING ADJACENT EDGES OF THE SIDE PANELS AND FRONT PANEL, WHEREBY SAID BODY IS A RIGID STRUCTURE WITH OPEN TOP FOR INSERTING ARTICLES THEREIN, AND WHEREBY SAID FRONT PANELS CAN BE PIVOTED TO A HORIZONTAL POSITION AWAY FROM THE SIDE PANELS BY DISENGAGING SAID LATCH MEANS TO OPEN THE FRONT OF SAID BODY FOR REMOVING SAID ARTICLES THROUGH SAID OPEN FRONT, AND WHEREBY SAID PANELS CAN BE FOLDED UPON EACH OTHER IN A COMPACT PILE TO COLLAPSE SAID BODY WHEN CERTAIN ONES OF SAID HINGES ARE DISENGAGED FROM THE PANELS, SAID SIDE PANELS HAVING FURTHER SLOTS LOCATED NEAR OUTER EDGES THEREOF, SAID LATCH MEANS COMPRISING A KNOB ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE FRONT PANEL, A ROD CARRIED BY SAID KNOB AND ROTATABLE THEREWITH, LATCH ARMS HINGED TO OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID ROD, SAID LATCH ARMS BEING GENERALLY L-SHAPED WITH LATERALLY EXTENDING FINGERS ENGAGEABLE IN SAID FURTHER SLOTS IN THE SIDE PANELS, AND MEANS CARRIED BY SAID KNOB FOR ROTATING SAID LATCH ARMS AXIALLY FOR CLEARING SAID FURTHER SLOTS WHEN SAID LATCH ARMS ARE WITHDRAWN THEREFROM BY ROTATION OF SAID KNOB. 